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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If care workers get fired for being unvaccinated…

125 replies

LemonWeb · 04/10/2021 17:19

Why not professional footballers? I’m struggling to be sympathetic with these spoilt men who want to keep getting massive salaries but feel that public health protection measures needn’t apply to them. AIBU?

OP posts:
Awalkintime · 04/10/2021 19:08

People have a choice, they just don't like the choices on offer. It is still a choice. Have it or don't play in the world cup. Have it or don't work in the care home. That is a choice. They make that decision based on their own opinions.

MorganKitten · 04/10/2021 19:12

Are footballers working in care homes now?

Ilovechinese · 04/10/2021 19:13

Yabu! No one should be forced into vaccines not footballers, care workers or anyone else!

AlohaMolly · 04/10/2021 19:13

NurseButtercup I thought it was because it’s under trial until 2023? Willing to be proved wrong though!

FWIW, I’m not anti vax at all, but I do think suddenly changing terms, as Xenia pointed out, is a bit off.

Wazzzzzzzup · 04/10/2021 19:17

Pesky football players.
😂
Fucking hell. Are you that non flouncy flouncer with ridiculous threads?

bumbleymummy · 04/10/2021 19:25

Seems a bit unfair to fire someone who was willing to continue working when a vaccine wasn’t available. People didn’t seem to have a problem with the carers being unvaccinated last year. Now that older/vulnerable people have been vaccinated, they’re at more risk from an unvaccinated carer?

Porcupineintherough · 04/10/2021 19:27

People didnt seem to have a problem with carers being unvaccinated when there was no vaccine? There's a reason for that @bumbleymummy

mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:30

@Kljnmw3459

I just think that nobody should be fired or lose their job for refusing to take this vaccine.
100%

OP please bear in mind this is NOT a mandatory vaccine.
It is really absolutely none of your business who decides to take a vaccine or who doesn't.
Perhaps those who have not taken the vaccine have allergies, previous episodes of anaphylactic shock, you have NO idea what is going on for anyone.
There is far too much focus on prying into others medical information on MN. Just focus on your own vaccine and health and allow others to do the same.

Are you aware that vaccines in the UK are by choice and not mandatory?

lockdownmadnessdotcom · 04/10/2021 19:31

@Porcupineintherough

People didnt seem to have a problem with carers being unvaccinated when there was no vaccine? There's a reason for that *@bumbleymummy*
I know what she means - the risk is much lower to the residents now as they are vaccinated (or should be). But I do think care workers should be vaccinated, although I also think care home residents should be, too. You can either leave the job or have the vaccine. You really do have to be a special sort of stupid to work in a care home and refuse to have any necessary vaccinations.
mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:32

@Porcupineintherough

People didnt seem to have a problem with carers being unvaccinated when there was no vaccine? There's a reason for that *@bumbleymummy*
there already is a massive shortage of carers in the UK. Lets see the state of play when now that there are actually loads of jobs, carers vote with their feet and leave the profession and go to work somewhere where they themselves are less at risk, not forced to have an injection and have better working conditions.
lockdownmadnessdotcom · 04/10/2021 19:32

And footballers (and other professional athletes) may choose not to have it because they are concerned that it may have a negative impact on their performance. Yes covid might too, but that's a decision for them.

lockdownmadnessdotcom · 04/10/2021 19:34

And I know there is a shortage of care workers but I still think it's stupid to refuse to be vaccinated in that context.

621CustardCream438 · 04/10/2021 19:34

“It’s how we treat the most vulnerable that shows who and what we are. I find what you said here utterly repellent.”

I have no idea why- I was referring to a society decision not an individual in need of care. We as a society are short of thousands of carers - we don’t have the luxury of choice. There is no queue of people wanting to do this work - most people regard it as unpleasant, difficult and badly paid. Even if it was better paid I think recruitment would struggle. I certainly don’t want to do it. Funnily enough no one wants to pay more in care home fees or more council tax either. So we as a society cannot be too choosy about who we allow to do it - personally I’d prefer an unvaccinated person who otherwise is good at their job and is willing to do it to absolutely nobody at all. What’s the alternative? And don’t say higher pay because as a society we have consistently demonstrated we aren’t willing to do that.

mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:35

@lockdownmadnessdotcom

You really have to be a special kind of stupid to not realise there is already a massive shortage of carers in the UK. So what do the UK government do ............ make it even harder for carers and force them out of employment leaving even more staff shortages.

mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:35

@lockdownmadnessdotcom

And I know there is a shortage of care workers but I still think it's stupid to refuse to be vaccinated in that context.
Given that there is already a huge shortage of care workers I still think its stupid to create even more shortages!!!!!!!!
MissConductUS · 04/10/2021 19:36

Lots of US cities are now requiring proof of vaccination to enter sporting venues and one effect of that is that professional athletes who aren't vaccinated can't get in either. If they don't show up ready to play, they don't get paid.

Pigeonpocket · 04/10/2021 19:38

Other people's medical history shouldn't be anyone else's business

Except that for a lot of jobs, it is!

There are many medical conditions that preclude people from many jobs.

If your job is to take care of vulnerable, elderly people then it can hardly be a surprise that you're required to take steps to be less of a risk to them.

If a surgeon developed a condition where their hands started randomly shaking, would you like them to carry on operating on people because their medical history is nobody else's business?

mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:39

@MissConductUS

Lots of US cities are now requiring proof of vaccination to enter sporting venues and one effect of that is that professional athletes who aren't vaccinated can't get in either. If they don't show up ready to play, they don't get paid.
what's that got to do with anything? The UK is not the USA. They are two very different countries, two sets of very different Covid laws etc. It is mind blowing that the USA, the land of the free are completely ok with losing their freedoms!!!
Fatya · 04/10/2021 19:41

Well Harry Kane isn't going to be looking after my granny so..
Yeah but what about Wayne Rooney?

mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:42

@Fatya

Well Harry Kane isn't going to be looking after my granny so.. Yeah but what about Wayne Rooney?
sweet Jaysus I near spat my coffee out there !!!!!!!!!

Grin Grin Grin

Flev · 04/10/2021 19:42

The law is already in place that states no one can work in a care home setting after mud November without being double vaccinated. That's absolutely no one - carers, kitchen staff, hairdressers, District nurses...

To be double vaccinated in time, staff needed to have had their first vaccine a couple of weeks ago. So we already know how many staff we are being forced to lose and it's gutting, it includes superb staff who have worked for us for many years. But we have no option - it is illegal for us to employ them after mid November. We've kept working gradually to persuade people but we are out of time.

We are already short a crazy number of staff. The organisation I work for is one if the better payers and our terms and conditions are about average for the sector - we can't afford any more with the low prices paid by councils that simply doesn't meet the cost of providing services. We make a loss on every council-funded place. That's the reality if the social care crisis.

Since it won't directly affect as many people as the fuel shortage, this won't get the same coverage or media pressure. But this people it will affect are some of the most vulnerable in society who deserve decent, safe and dignified care - and whether we can keep providing it is starting to look incredibly rocky.

Pigeonpocket · 04/10/2021 19:43

Are you aware that vaccines in the UK are by choice and not mandatory?

It's also not mandatory to be a care worker as far as I'm aware.

mellowbirdie · 04/10/2021 19:45

@Pigeonpocket

Are you aware that vaccines in the UK are by choice and not mandatory?

It's also not mandatory to be a care worker as far as I'm aware.

absolutely as we will see shortly when relatives have to be asked to come in and help because there is less and less carers.
Unsure33 · 04/10/2021 19:50

@AuntieUrsula

I am glad you clarified your figure is NOT a direct result of the vaccine

You would not want to be spreading false information would you.
fullfact.org/online/1102-vaccine-adr-death/

Unsure33 · 04/10/2021 19:51

@flev Do we have actual percentage figures for care workers who are unvaccinated?